


you weren't invited, but hello

by katsumi



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-05
Updated: 2017-02-05
Packaged: 2018-09-22 06:21:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9588119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katsumi/pseuds/katsumi
Summary: Jyn goes to the on-campus gym at 5 a.m. for one specific reason: it’s always empty. Except for some reason, every day since the new semester started, there’s been this other guy there.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Short response to a tumblr prompt for rebelcaptain college AU.

Jyn goes to the on-campus gym at 5 a.m. for one specific reason: it’s always empty. Except for some reason, every day since the new semester started, there’s been this other guy there.

 

He’s thin and tall, with scruff on his neck and dark circles under his eyes, and his gym plan is the same as hers, apparently: run on the treadmill until the sun rises. He always takes the machine farthest away from hers, which she supposes is nice of him, but still: this was _her_  gym time, damnit. She tries to ignore him.

 

* * *

  

When ignoring him doesn’t work—god, the clunk of his feet against the machine is _loud_ —she figures she’ll try racing him.

 

But he actually runs pretty damn fast for someone who looks like he could fall asleep at any second, and Jyn doesn’t exactly have the longest legs in the world. She’s huffing trying to match his pace and sees him glance her way, confused. And then he _notches up the speed_  and that’s a challenge if she’s ever seen one. Pretty soon they’re flat-out sprinting.

 

He slows to a walk before she does, although he seems like he could have kept going (she wonders if he does it for her benefit, but she’s too out of breath to care). When he gets off the machine, she’s nervous for a second he’s going to come talk to her. But all he does is wave in her direction before turning to leave.

 

* * *

 

And then a few weeks later, she realizes: he’s _her fucking economics TA_.

 

There he is, right in the front row. She didn’t notice before because the TA’s don’t come to every class, and she doesn’t pay a whole lot of attention in economics, anyways. But she needs to start, because her first test comes back with a grade two letters lower than what her father considers acceptable.

 

So she corners him after class and is like, you need to help me. You’re always at the goddamn gym and throwing me off, so you’re going to help me pass this stupid class. And he kind of cocks his head at her, like he’s trying to hide how shocked he is she’s actually speaking to him. 

 

“I’m your TA,” he says; his voice is gentler than she expected it would be, a bit higher pitched. “That’s literally my job.”

 

* * *

  

She goes to his office hours that night in the basement of the science library. He looks so different in jeans and a sweater—and glasses, which she can’t get herself to stop staring at—and he smiles when he sees her, motions her in.

 

She learns a little bit about the model of perfect competition, but mostly she learns about him: that his name is Cassian, that he’s a junior (one year above her), and that he’s trying for a triple major on top of working two part-time jobs (which must be why he looks so damn exhausted all the time). He goes to the gym at five because it’s the only time he’s got. 

 

“You need a life,” she tells him, before she can stop himself, and notices that his eyes crinkle at the edges when he laughs.

 

* * *

 

The next day, he takes the treadmill right next to her and she’s surprised to find she doesn’t really mind. But she’s got a reputation to uphold, so she glares at him over her shoulder. 

 

“I need someone else as motivation,” he explains, shrugging, like he’s already anticipated her complaint. “I’m really tired this morning.”

 

“You _look_  tired,” she returns, and tries to pretend her stomach doesn’t flutter when he smiles.

**Author's Note:**

> [leralynne](http://leralynne.tumblr.com) on tumblr!


End file.
